


Reawakening

by Ellimac



Category: Doctor Who, Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 08:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2184783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellimac/pseuds/Ellimac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a frozen escape pod bumps into the TARDIS, Clara discovers someone alive inside it--and even better, it's a Time Lord.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reawakening

“Doctor?”

“Yes, I’m a little busy at the moment, can it wait?”

“I just wanted to ask a question, actually, but if you’re going to be like that about it, sure, it can wait.”

“What? What is it?” The Doctor turned from where he was busily reconfiguring the TARDIS.

Clara pointed to a screen. “It’s just that we’re in space, right? And that doesn’t look much like an asteroid to me.”

The Doctor squinted, stared, then strode over to the screen. “No, it looks more like a… an escape pod, a very small one, or a cryogenic pod. Or both. I can’t see what’s inside.”

“Well, aren’t we going to let it in?” Clara said.

“Don’t be ridiculous, it could be hostile. Do you want to release a hostile alien into the TARDIS? I don’t think — where are you going?”

“To the door,” Clara said, but by then she was already there and had opened it, and before the Doctor could get to her she was leaning out to grab the pod — which was, fortunately, just within arm’s reach — and pull it in. As soon as it was inside the TARDIS, it clunked to the floor, and Clara swung back in as the doors closed behind her.

“That,” the Doctor said as he approached, “was insanely dangerous.”

“Oh, like taking me to a sinking submarine during the Cold War wasn’t,” Clara said, kneeling over the pod. “I think you’re right, it looks frozen. Feels frozen, too.”

“Don’t open that!” the Doctor said, but it was too late — Clara had undone the release hatch and the pod was slowly opening. Clara held her breath and sat back, though still avidly watching to see what would come out.

It was… just a human. An ordinary-looking one, in funny clothes, to be sure, but who knew what came into style in the future? He also looked very dead.

“No,” the Doctor said. “No. _No_.”

Clara looked up. “What? Something special?”

The Doctor pointed his screwdriver at the man. “Two hearts,” he said. “Two hearts — Clara, he’s a Time Lord.”

“What, like you?” Clara looked back down at the man. “I can’t say I think much of his fashion sense.”

The Doctor ignored her, but that was all right, because the man in the box started breathing again at that moment, and his eyes fluttered open, and while the Doctor was doing some sort of celebratory dance, Clara reached into the box to help the man out of it. He offered no resistance, seeming dazed and rather confused (and who could blame him, having been frozen in a box drifting in space for who knew how long), and only spoke when he had had a short look around.

“Where am I?” he said. “Not the medical bay.”

“The TARDIS,” Clara said.

“Which one?”

“Mine,” the Doctor said. “Hello. I’m the Doctor.”

“Oh, no,” the man groaned. “Can you put me back in cryogenic suspension?”

“You two know each other?” Clara said, glancing from one to the other.

“Only by reputation,” the man said. He tried to straighten up, but stumbled, and Clara caught him.

“Come on,” she said. “We’re going to find you something to eat, all right? You’ll feel better when you’ve got your space legs back.”

“And his human companion. Wonderful.” The man sighed. “I can’t wait until Romana hears about this one.”

The Doctor grimaced, but said nothing, and Clara glared at him as she walked the man to the kitchen. The sooner she got him to a chair so he could sit, the better, and the way things were going, it seemed best that the chair should be away from the Doctor.


End file.
